Digestive upset in the horse has become commonplace. The intensity of modern feeding and management changes has contributed to a subset of the population of horses with frequent if not constant digestive upset. Many horses are being fed an abundance of concentrated feeds that adds additional physiologic stress to a digestive system that is not performing as designed. The veterinary practitioner often encounters horses suffering with one or more of the following conditions, gastric ulcers, recurrent diarrhea, recurrent colic, weight loss, poor condition and sand accumulation.
Colic in particular is a leading cause of equine death. While certain treatments are available for acute colic (such as administration of analgesics, administration of mineral oil or other lubricants/laxatives, relieving pressure on the stomach with a nasalgastric tube, administration of intravenous fluids, surgery, etc.) managing an equine who suffers from multiple colic episodes over a period of time is much more challenging. General treatment strategies include evaluating management parameters, such as feed (quality, quantity, balance, etc.), stabling/pasturing conditions, and deworming program, and making any appropriate changes. If the colic is refractory to these management changes, there are no known treatment alternatives.
Hence, there is a need in the art for compositions and methods of treating equine digestive disorders.